1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus which is capable of executing at least one of a copy job, a print job, a facsimile transmission/reception job and an e-mail transmission/reception job and managing these jobs. More particularly, it relates to an image forming apparatus having a job-cancelling function.
2. Description of the Related Art
A compact image forming apparatus is multi-functional and has a display panel which is small in size and not provided with a touch panel. Therefore, there are provided many hardware keys. If a stop key is provided for a respective kind of job, a user is confused in selection of a key, and an operation to stop a job is delayed. Accordingly, it is not preferable. Therefore, only one stop key which is not dependent on a kind of job is provided for stopping a job.
In Japanese Utility Model Publication No. HE16-13259, a facsimile apparatus is disclosed in which a message “Select an operation which should be stopped.” is displayed on an LCD along with selectable character strings of “copy”, “send” and “other function” in response to a press-on of a stop key. A user moves a cursor to a selectable character string corresponding to a function which should be stopped and then presses on the stop key again. In response to the press-on of the stop key, the facsimile apparatus stops only the selected operation.
However, in the above-described facsimile apparatus, only one of the functions of “copy”, “send”, and “other function” is selected. Accordingly, only a job which is currently in execution can be stopped, and a waiting job cannot be cancelled. Therefore, a cancel key for cancelling a waiting job and a menu exclusive for a cancelling should be provided, and it causes a problem that a configuration becomes complicated. Further, when a user would like to stop a job in execution, there is a tendency that he does not press a stop key but presses a cancel key by mistake, and an operation of stopping a job is unintentionally delayed.
Further, the cancel key is easily confused with a clear key for clearing the number of printings and the inputted contents. Accordingly, when these keys are provided on the operation panel, a user is confused in selection of a key. By adapting one multi-purpose key which is operable to serve as a stop key, a cancel key and a clear key, the number of keys can be reduced, and a user is not confused in selection of a key.
However, when the multi-purpose key is pressed, it is not clear whether the key is pressed for stopping a job in execution, cancelling a waiting job, or clearing the number of printings. Accordingly, the number of selectable menu representation shown to a user after a press-on of the multi-purpose key is increased, thereby causing a problem that an operability of the facsimile apparatus becomes worse.
Further, in the above-described facsimile apparatus, if one job in execution is stopped, other job is shifted to an execution mode. Accordingly, a user must repeat a routine of suspending and resuming a job to stop a plurality of jobs. Therefore, irrelevant repetitions of stopping and executing of operations must be made, and a user has to perform the operations in hurry to shorten an irrelevant operating time of operation, thereby causing a problem that operability becomes worse.